Featuring 52 Artists on 2 CDs with a 128-page booklet; 43 tracks, 20 specially recorded, 16 specially written. Instrumentals and songs, many of which are not recorded elsewhere. Six string and Twelve string guitars. Nylon string and Jazz guitars. Tenor and Baritone guitars. Acoustic Bass and Resonator guitars. Mandolins, Mandolas, Bouzoukis and Ukulele.

This idea for this project has been bubbling away for many years. The original "Fylde Acoustic" Album was made in 1977, but is, sadly, no longer available. I have mentioned the possibility of an "update" many times, and when Chrys Titshall raised it with me in 2018, I realised what a great opportunity we had, with such a long list of artists and friends who might be willing to help.

Moira and I have often discussed finding a charity that we could devote some time to, but then life gets in the way and the time simply disappears. Here we had an almost ready-made opportunity to build an exciting project that might raise some decent sums of money for important causes.

We all know people who need help. Musicians often work by themselves, and sometimes have less of the support that others have. This was a "moment of clarity" for us, which made sense of the whole idea, it didn't need to be simply a marketing opportunity or a vanity project. We could raise money for charities that support musicians.

Trees are obviously very important to me, to guitar making and to music. The idea of helping to plant trees was the final piece of the jigsaw, the whole project seemed complete, at least in principle.

What had not occurred to us was that it would take nine months, and many sleepless nights.

We think It was worth the effort, we hope you do too.

Release date 7th June 2019 ~ Click here to order now

UK sales £22.00 inc pp
Europe £25 inc pp
Rest of world £27 inc pp

Shakespeare's Sonnet 128, before being updated by Roger Bucknall

How oft, when thou, my music, music play'st,
Upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds
With thy sweet fingers, when thou gently sway'st
The wiry concord that mine ear confounds,
Do I envy those jacks that nimble leap
To kiss the tender inward of thy hand

Strings that nimble leap features 52 Artists:

Eric Bibb; David Buckingham; Adam Bulley and Chas MacKenzie; Hugh Burns; Charlotte Carrivick; Clive Carroll; Martin Carthy; Phil Cool; Graham Coxon; Barbara Dickson; Chris Difford and Boo Hewerdine; Troy Donockley; John Doyle; Dave Pegg and Chris Leslie, Fairport Convention; Archie Fisher; Antonio Forcione; Bob Fox and Stu Luckley; Peter Howarth, Frontm3n; Vin Garbutt; Gordon Giltrap; Lisa Hannigan; Remi Harris; Toby Hay; Megan Henwood; Hobson & Lees; Nick Hooper; Andy Irvine; John James; Nic Jones; Birelli Lagrene and Adam Palma; Jez Lowe; David Mead; Will McNicol and Luke Selby; Elliott Morris; Ken Nicol; Henry Olsen; Tristan Seume; Martin Simpson; John Smith; Ben Walker; Billy Watman; Innes Watson and Chris While.

Plus Seonaid Aitken; Patsy Reed; Alice Allen; Pete Lincoln; Mick Wilson; Roy Dodds; Chris Laurence; Manuel Nietro and Issidro Suerez.